Born in England in 1926 in the historic naval port of Plymouth, David Tidboald now enjoys his retirement in Simon's Town, South Africa's equivalent. Improbably enough, it was while doing national service in the Royal Navy that he was sent, at the end of World War II, to Berlin and was there presented with opportunities that led to his career in music. In 1960, he was appointed to the first of the three orchestras in South Africa of which he was resident conductor, two of which he was instrumental in forming from scratch.

While occupying these positions, as well as during the freelance years that preceded them, he worked with many of the greatest musicians, singers and dancers of the age. From Alicia Markova and Margot Fonteyn to Birgit Nilsson and Anna Russell, as conductor and also, in the earlier years, as pianist. This book tells of these fascinating people and also affords glimpses of a life of enviable variety.